​Oblivious Nerd Girl

There was magic in the air on Saturday, October 8th. I wore two hats at FPAC this year. One was as a member of the This Filipino American Life family. We conducted interviews with several artists who performed at the festival as well as interviews with long time supporters of FPAC. The biggest thing that happened was we got to talk to Deedee Magno Hall.

This is the smile of someone who cannot believe they are taking a picture with someone they grew up watching on tv and listening to on cassette single. As a kid the Disney Channel was a premium channel and I can recall taping The Mickey Mouse Club the week we would have the channel. Why? Because of Deedee! She was young, Filipino, and acting and singing on tv. I completely fangirled on her and told her how I saw her at mall performance years ago when she toured with The Party. Deedee is also the voice of Pearl on Steven Universe, a show that I absolutely adore and makes me cry on the regular. I can't wait to share that interview with folks. It can be an audio commentary to this post.

The other big thing that happened at FPAC was that we started our short flags documentary journey. Folks from Oxnard and the South Bay came out to our short flags meet up and shared their stories with us. Many thanks to Eseel, Kirby, and Ana for holding it down.

FPAC is a time for reunions. You tend to run into friends and family at FPAC. It's what I love about the festival. At one point during the tinikling battle something magical happened. As the familiar strings of the rondalla played a group of us began to sway balance and dance tinikling with imaginary tinikling sticks. There was no pause in the moment, we all knew the moves, and for that short moment in time we weren't TFAL or short flags documentarians, we were Filipino Americans making a memory.

And then there was this moment. When Paul made Mike and I tear up. Catching up with this former Sessions LA student and hearing him tell Mike that Sessions saved his life was a poignant way to end the day. Thank you to everyone who shared their FPAC day with me, TFAL, and short flags.

Rest In Power - Guru Danny

Guru Danny was a Master kulintang musician and artist. He was the subject of The Cotabato Sessions, a documentary film by Joel Quizon and Susie Ibarra. We were lucky to get a picture with him when he performed at FPAC in 2014.

From The Cotabato Sessions: It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the passing of Master Danny Kalanduyan. Per sources close to him, Danny suffered a stroke at Stanford University Hospital September 27, 2016, where he had been admitted for a cardiac procedure.

Rest In Peace, Danny. We are so honored and proud to have shared a little bit of your art and story.

Our deep condolences goes out to his family, his friends, his many students that he has mentored through the years and all of those fortunate enough to have heared and seen him perform. We have lost a legend, a true master of his craft.
In memory of the life and legacy of Danny Kalanduyan.
We would like to share our film online for the first time.
Thank you to all of you who helped to support making this film possible.

We have lost a great artist among us.
We will never forget you, Danny and we will forever be grateful for sharing your passion, your art, your home, and your love with us. Your voice is the first thing we hear on this film and its your message of how music is shared and handed down generation after generation linking us to our past and our roots that will forever linger in our hearts. We will continue to keep the music always in the present.
From Susie Ibarra and Joel Quizon

​It's October already! Insanity! I wasn't able to finish out the Oblivious Birthday Gratitude posts. However 22 posts was a good run.

October is here which means several things like October Baseball. Dodgers are in the playoffs and I can't wait for their run this season. I cried my eyes out when Vin Scully called his last game at Dodger Stadium. I was listening in my car when Vin gave his last words to the fans and they played a clip of him singing Wind Beneath My Wings. This is a picture of me sobbing in my car. I couldn't handle it. I was the crying emoji at that moment.

October also means Filipino American History Month. And with that is the Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture this Saturday, October 8th from 10-8pm at Echo Park Lake. More info can be found here: FPAC Samu't Sari.

I will be at FPAC wearing multiple hats. I'll be there at the This Filipino American Life booth repping for TFAL! We'll be talking to artists and folks attending the festival. Share your FPAC stories with us!

Another hat I'm wearing is the Short Flags Docu hat! Tsismis Council has planned a short flags meet up at FPAC this year. We want to capture your stories. Show us how it's done. Bring your flags and teach us!

And if you feel like coloring stop by the Generasyon Pavilion! Color Your Troubles Away is providing coloring sheets for FPAC this year. Color some Filipino themed and inspired sheets!

It's going to be an insanely busy Saturday and I can't wait to spend it with you all at FPAC!

Welcome to August. The month where I apparently decide to take on several projects to be involved in like a crazy woman. It's going to be a fun month!

Wednesday, August 10th is going to be an awesome day! It not only is Daniel Dae Kim's birthday, it is also M. Night Shyamalan's birthday as well. It is also the date for the Comedy Comedy kick off for the Comedy Comedy Festival! Join us at Seoul Sausage for some birthday party good times. There will be cake, food, and drinks! RSVP here: AUG 10 Festival Launch Party+Daniel Dae Kim & M. Night Shyamalan Birthday Party

In order to get you hyped for some birthday cake, why not participate in American Idle: A Space Out Competition. The deadline is today! You think you can space out for 90 minutes for a cash prize? You know who thinks you can't? This person:

August also happens to be our anniversary month! That's right. Mike and I got married in August and we want to celebrate with our family and friends at Disco Manila. Both of our parents are fans of disco. Pops Oblivious would share stories about his time in the Philippines, dancing the night away to VST. I'm quite excited for this show. It's going to be an awesome time. Plus it's a part of Grand Performances. I love this series. It isn't a summer in Los Angeles without a concert in California Plaza!

Yesterday I helped facilitate at the new FPAC Saysay Pavilion, where FilAm arts gathered the communities stories. It was amazing to hear the different paths and moments that weave into the Filipin@-American experience.

The project mostly focuses on stories of Filipino migration. These stories can be long but with 2 minutes I shared a small snippet of my families migration story.

My folks immigrated with the big wave of Filipino professionals in the 1980s. In the midst of martial law, the writing was on the wall. My nurse auntie and engineer uncle had left in the 60s brain drain migration. They tested the waters in a new country. The report backs of opportunities and jobs set the plan in motion for my clan's move to the States. Mom came over first. In the late 70s she came with her two sisters and my Lola Sabel. Mom would be Pops' touchstone. If she could see herself in the States, so could Pops. For three years she created a life in San Fernando Valley. She came home to marry Pops and wait for their time to make their big move.

In the meanwhile I became a bun in Moms oven while they lived in Ozamis. This hometown is where both my maternal and paternal families are from. Where folks speak bisayan. Where the island of Mindinao doesn't strike fear immediately. Where it is simply, home. While I was hanging out in Moms' belly the need for some place cool to go to took over. Mom and Pops went to the local movie theater to take in that sweet cool air con. Pops has a tendency to scan every room he walks into, so he noticed a weird dude in the theater. He kept his eye on the weird dude, who simply wasn't acting right, and found a seat in the theater with moms. They waited for the movie to stratt but it was delayed. Pops didn't feel right about the whole situation so he decided to go home. This did not go over with Moms. She was very pregnant with me. All she wanted to so was sit in air conditioning and enjoy a movie! Pops insisted they leave and so they did. They found out later that the movie theater they were in was a target of a faction of Filipino Muslims in the area. They have been fighting the Christians in the area for years. Several movie theaters were targeted that day. Some went off, but the theater where Moms and Pops went to was spared. The weird dude Pops spotted, was supposed to set off the bomb. That guy chickened out. My parent left the Philippines for a better life, like most folks. But they also left because they did not want me to grow up in an area constantly at war. It isn't in an oil rich country, so this won't be in the news. But it was my families reality. This is why they left their homeland. This is my story. This is the story I shared through the Saysay project. Many thanks to all the hardworking folks who put fpac together. It was an honor to share my story and have folks share their own!

My first zine explained how Oblivious Nerd Girl started and acted as a business card for the hoodnerdgirl tumblr.Apparently at a family party last Friday my ebooks were a topic of conversation with my aunties and uncles. While I'm glad they are now purchasing the ebooks, I'm a little freaked out that my family might be asking me about those stories! Gah! Pressure!!!!

One of my tita's even told me that I'm not charging enough for the ebooks! (One is 99 cents and the 2nd is $1.99). But it's all good in the hood. If folks buy them I'll be happy!

This zine is a plug for the ebooks. As a Saysay Pavilion facilitator I was informed that I could sell books or other pieces. I don't have anything formally printed and my attempts at printing chapbooks in time were deemed futile. Instead I got the idea to make zines plugging the ebooks! So if you go to FPAC this weekend, visit the PAN Pavilion, and pick one up!

Many thanks to Jilly of FilAm Arts, for helping me fold these suckers!!!

The Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) is this weekend. FPAC has a special place in my heart. I've worn many hats for FPAC (volulnteer to ticket coordinator to generations stage emcee to logistics director). Ultimately I am a fan of the festival. It always feels like coming home.

Last year was the first year I couldn't go to the festival and while I danced the night away at my cousins wedding, I did think about how FPAC was doing. This year I'll be facilitating a part of the Saysay Project! Funded by the James Irvine Foundation, the Saysay Project is a community-sourced story-gathering project by FilAm ARTS.

I'll be sharing my families immigration story and even some of my Oblivious Nerd Girl stories in the process. Come by the Saysay Pavilion on Saturday, September 7th from 12-2pm and share your stories with me!